UK’s Wildlife Crime Unit wins reprieve

The future of the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) has been safeguarded for another year thanks to Government funding,environment minister Richard Benyon has announced.

The Home Office and DEFRA have pledged £136,000 for the next financial year. But no decisions have been taken about funding the unit beyond 31 March 2014.

Nevin Hunter, head of the NWCU, told Shooting Times: “We are delighted that funding has been secured for the year ahead and are grateful to all who have supported us.

“The co-operation of shooting and conservation organisations and their members has been vital in helping us to address illegal activity such as poaching, hare coursing and raptor persecution. We look forward to building on this work over the next year.”

The NWCU’s continuation for another 12 months was welcomed by BASC, which works closely with the Unit to combat crimes such as poaching and the persecution of birds of prey.

The rest of this article appears in the 30th January issue of Shooting Times.

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